The Wanted
by ThatIsNotAFetish
Summary: He wanted to belong, to fit somewhere in the already destroyed puzzle. But his forgotten past crept in and suffocated him.. This, right here; right now would have to suffice. Chris finds strength in places he never knew existed..[Possible Chris x Piers. ] [Rated only for violence, gore, cursing, and possible MILD adult scenes.]
1. Chapter 1

**_THE WANTED_**

**_Summary: He wanted to belong, to fit somewhere in the already destroyed puzzle. But his forgotten past crept in and suffocated him.. This, right here; right now would have to suffice. Chris finds strength in places he never knew existed.._**

**_PAIRING: POSSIBLE Chris x Piers. It may also be just a bromance. I have yet to decide._**

**_RATING: M (FOR: Gore, violence, cussing, and few mild suggestive scenes.)_**

* * *

_CHAPTER 1_

_The sun goes down_

_The stars come out_

_And all that counts_

_Is here and now_

_My universe will never be the same_

_I'm glad you came_

_~The Wanted_

* * *

Corpses breathed a putrid smell, leaking with a mixture of blood and puss. The sky was a pasty grey, the kind of scene you'd wish to roll up and toss away. Screams and inhuman wails plastered the dark pastel night. Uneven steps echoed the burning city, bodies oh god, so many.. It overwhelmed, Chris heard a stagger from behind him and whirled around just in time for his flashlight to catch Piers' shaken form, he was climbing to his feet after tripping over a body. It was easy to tell his mind was elsewhere.. Rattled from the past events any tough man could break. With a frown, The Captain offered a gloved hand to the smaller other.

There was a hesitance written on Piers' face. He clapped his hand into the other's, fitting it unsure before Chris secured the hold and pulled Piers' weak frame up on his feet. Chris swallowed the dry lump in his throat, it was similar to guzzling glass. He turned to walk again, but not before catching Piers limping in the corner of his vision mid turn, he stopped.

"Are you hurt, soldier?" The words were soft, and frightened even himself in the dead of night. Piers placed his right foot on the ground with a grimace, he shook his head.

"I'm fine.." He gathered.

How long had he been limping?..

Chris managed a sigh, approaching the other he guided the younger man to sit on truck's abandoned tire. The task itself seemed a lot more effort exerting than it should be.. It then occurred to Chris as he knelt down in front of Piers that he must have injured himself back at the main city when he had shoved Chris away from a rolling car. Piers had fallen too.. didn't he? That was.. Hours ago.. It explained why Piers was so slow upon dashing towards the alleyway when a hoard of staggering infecting had grounded them.

"You've been hurt all this time?" Chris tried to level his anger in his voice as he took Piers' ankle in his hands. Piers let out a sharp hiss between clenched teeth. It had swelled to the point where it was building up pressure, Chris had to untie his high top steel toe to release some of that pent up pressure. Chris was careful to lift up the male's pantleg to examine the injury. "You could have told me.."

"I.. didn't think it was that bad.." Piers was lying through his teeth, Chris could easily tell. The ankle was obviously swollen.. A dark purple had blossomed in the very center, mixing with scarlet red and fading into a faint pink around the edges. Chris saw Piers suck in a breath along with his lie. "I didn't want to slow us down.."

"Dammit, Piers.. A lot good it's doing us now.." He didn't mean to snap, patience wearing thin, dissolving in his words that had smudged from his lips. This wasn't working.. Piers avoided his stare like the plague itself. Disease riddled and angry was what Chris assumed the youth saw. This was no good.

Being at each other's throats got nowhere, and it was sinkingly obvious.

"You can't walk in this condition." Chris spoke through his teeth after cradling them on his tongue. Piers gave what closely resembled a stubborn huff.

"The hell I can!" He raised his upper frame forward only to stagger, if not for Chris' strong arm that steadied him, he would be eating dirt. He attempted to withdraw, but the shooting pain in his ankle subdued him against the man's bent arm.

"Captain, with all do respect.." Piers mutter came with his sigh of supressed pain. "Fuck you, I can take care of myself.." But despite his words he felt himself being hoisted onto the man's strong back.

Pouches, buckles and uncomfortable equipment gored into him, throwing out a gasp of pain from the wounded soldier, he hissed a curse but deep down held the appreciation that he was off his wounded foot.

"Fall in line, Soldier.." Chris' warning was sharpened by a rough tone. It even made Piers flinch. It was a shower of bullets that spurred Chris forward.. Dropping the subject completely and leaving it behind on the broken road.

J'avo..

The name was brought up by the Serbian word "Davo" which means devil, putting it bluntly. And the name fits the bill almost perfectly. The likeness is uncanny.

Creatures created from walkers infected by the C-Virus in its "Primary" mechanism .. direct administration; its counterpart, therefore, is the 'zombie', created by the virus' _secondary_ mechanisms of airborne contamination. It's a lot of shit mixed with more shit and sprinkled with crap that Chris barely understood. All he knew was this:

Fucker's weren't human.

At a distance, one would easily mistake them for human friendlies.. They walk, operate guns and communicate with one another in their own foreign langauge.. But the smell and the sudden pulsating view of multiple eyes and writhing appendages would beg to differ'. They react.. Evolve upon trauma, mutating them into hideous creatures that adapt to it's surroundings.

And they don't play nice..

Chris staggered across the street, taking cover behind an overturned school bus, the sight coiled up mixed feelings in the pit of his gut.. School bus generally meant children were on that.. God knows where.. The feelings fanned throughout his body, inflaming them in anger. With utmost care, he settled Piers down against the side of the school bus, propping him on the it's yellow surface.

".. C-Captain.." Piers could only get those words out as Chris fished for a clip in his pocket. He heard Piers huff to regain lost breath. "We can't stay here.. And I am slowing you down.."

Chris shook his head fiercely, it was his stubbornness that kept him rooted. It was his strength and Achilles heel all the same.

There was no way in the depths of hell was he going to let these brainless bastards take anything else from him.. Not again. He pulled the clip out of his pouch with clammy fingers and fed it into the slot in his pistol. After it locked in place he waited for the spraying sound of metal hitting metal to spring out of his cover, firing several trigger pulls.

His accuracy saved them once more and the creatures began falling one by one, encasing themselves in a flakey caccoon like state. He lowered his gun to survey the damage delt. It was only a handful of J'avo, thank whatever god was up there. But he only bought time with the little money he had left, enough to jog around the bus and collect Piers.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" Piers shouted as he was hoisted off the ground and back onto the man's spine. He almost struggled, but his body tensed, and Chris assumed he decided against it. "You could have gotten killed!"

"This is war, Piers.. People die all the time.." Chris reasoned between clenched teeth. He was chewing on his words, fiercely spitting them out in a manner that suited him best. Kept him in character.

War between what exactly?

It felt more against he and Piers than the damn J'avo. It seemed like behind every turn, Piers questioned his methods. And it was ebbing away at his patients.. fast.

"Then why the fuck didn't you leave me?!" Piers just wasn't giving up, or letting up on the bit so to speak, he kept at it.. Chris had to give him credit for relentlessness. "There are safer ways to win a war, Captain!"

"You just answered your own fucking question.." The words were low in Chris' throat, and it shutted Piers up for a good moment or two. And it felt like Piers was contemplating.. Turning the words inside his head and dissecting them..

suddenly, the younger man felt heavy on his back.. Chris kept sure to the fact he could still carry the wounded soldier back to headquarters where it was remotely safe.

"Thanks.." Piers' gratitude came out in a warm breath against Chris' neck. An involuntary shudder rolled up his frame and settled between his shoulder blades. Chris had to ask.

"For what?" There was a short pause, allowing the question to sink in between them and saturate.

"For not leaving me.."

* * *

The sky broke up by the beams of setting sunlight, having the gaps be mended by the sealing dark blue. Despite it all, it was a lovely sight. The sky mending itself while splashing an array of pastel pinks and deep scarlets. The sun played a key part in the color show as well, dipping behind some fallen buildings and a mound of debree and dust.

The base was plastered up sloppily in a haste, but sound. The structures stood up in walls of cement blocks and wired off with barbed wire to fence in the soldiers. They cleared the space of J'avo and other infected before putting up the walls, but inside was where they housed the tents and sheds for the wounded and weary. Like some sort of safe camp. A small slice of heaven in the center of a hell hole city.

Chris had reluctantly left Piers in the care of the nurses to patch up his wounds and went patrolling on the outer part of the wall. He felt like it was his job to make sure the perimeter was safe for his soldiers on the inside. But clicking his light on and off (For amusement purposes) across the landscape became fruitless. Which in this case was a good thing.

However, a snapping twig caught Chris' attention across the broken sidewalk where a few rustling bushes moved. Cautiously, he crept towards the moving thresh, holding his cocked gun in the direction he walked.

He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears as he got close enough to move the bushes with the tip of his assault rifle. Nothing could prepare him for what was staring up at him with big yellow eyes.

A small grey kitten...

Chris released the breath he realized he'd been holding and found himself hesitantly sinking to one knee. The hair on the kitten's scrawny back rose and it gave a hiss laced in warning. Trying to make itself appear bigger than it really was.

This made Chris smile. What creature could have the audacity to think it could hold it's own against something so much bigger?..

They did it too...

So Chris gave the kitten some credit as he fished for some dried turkey strips in his breast pocket. He pulled the strips from the pouch and laid them onto the floor in front of it. The kitten's steps were frightened, and timid. But it looked more hungry to take the risk, diving for the meat, it chewed frantically.

The sight broke Chris' heart and he reasoned with himself to pick the kitten up. He could feel it's ribs against his palms as it chewed the turkey bits, sniffing for more.

When Chris held the small thing in his hands, it gave a nervous purr and a weak mew. With a decision made, Chris went straight towards the gate that led into the camp.

* * *

The campfire breathed it's smoke and lapped at the dark air around the soldiers, bathing them in a comforting warmth. Piers found himself leaning into the flames, only to get scalded by the intense heat. He was quick to withdraw. The pain killers were working and had successfully numbed his swollen ankle but made him feel...loopy.

It was like small tidal waves churning in his stomach, relaxing his muscles and calming his mind into a state of not caring. Piers was considerably a lightweight when it came to drugs and beer.. He stayed away from it as much as possible until he really needed it. Who would of thought such a good act could fuck him up in the end?

It was the sounds of the crunching footsteps behind him that sobered him up a bit. He opened his eyes slowly and tilted his head over his shoulder to see Chris walking towards him. Wait... What was in his hands? It was moving...

When Chris was close enough, his focus fixated on it.. A small grey kitten. And almost immediately, his stoney heart shattered.

"How are you feeling?" The question levitated towards the young man as Chris knelt down next to the wounded other. Almost indistinctly, Piers reached for the small kitten. Noticing the act, Chris laid the wobbly kitten in the youth's lap.

"Where'd you find her..?" Piers had dodged the question with his own, and caught the dumbfounded look on Chris' face. He could easily tell Chris was impressed by the quick judge of gender.

"Outside the wall.. Poor thing must've escaped.. But barely.." There was a warm smile on the man's face, watching Piers hold the cat against him. It was a side Chris never knew Piers actually had. He had dropped his guard only briefly and it welled Chris with so many questions.

Piers watched his Captain kneel down next to him, and tensed.. For whatever reason, his jaw tightened and it was only the weak purr of the kitten that caused him to release said tension.

"What are you gonna name her?"

The question threw Piers off guard, it certainly cooked up a few questions of his own. He spouted the first that weighed on him.

"... You're.. giving her to me..?"

"She can't stay here for long, it's much too dangerous.. But I can see about an escort.." The suggestion sparked a flicker of light gleaming in Piers chocolate brown eyes.

"Smokie.."

"What?"

"Her name.." Piers stroked the tiny kitten's head with a vindication. It was matter of factly the way he held his tone. "Her name will be Smokie.."

"I'll have her checked and shipped by the morning..~" There was a contentness feathered in his gravled tone as he took the mewing kitten from Piers' raised arms.

"Thank you, Captain.."

* * *

**There you have it, the start of a beautiful bromance. Brings a tear to my eye... Ahem, anyway, updates may be slow with this one, having to multi task and what not. But this is for a special friend of mine, so I promise I'd do it. Until next time, beautiful people!**


	2. Chapter 2

**How's this for a lengthy chapter! I am proud of myself for overcoming my word count, I'mma try to make it my goal to create longer, hefty chapters. EVEN IF IT KILLS ME! ;D So, anyway.. ENJOY!**

* * *

Chapter 2

Desolate; the world outside of those cement walls.. That's the only way to describe it's vacancy. Nothing left but the remains of a vivacious world full of life and bustle. The city was broken and destroyed with only life spouting at the heart of the city, but only barely. That survival camp walled off from the insidious.. How long will the stem of violence birth to such horror?

Chris had took only precious moments to wall off his bullet whittled heart to pretend everything was normal.. And sitting around the campfire with the soldiers sound asleep was liberation.. A sense of some hope welled in his lungs and fanned throughout his body then.. They could actually win this. Optimistically speaking, they had a chance.

Chris had bathed himself in the warmth the fire gave, ignoring his heavy eyelids to the nagging demand of sleep. The sun was lifting, the paint in the sky gave proof to this change. He could see Piers stir in his sleep, propped against the surface of the wall, Chris wondered how the man could even sleep in such a position?

"I keep asking myself.." The words spilled from Piers' cracked lips and Chris nearly jolted with alert. The young man was probably awake the whole time, but he spoke with his eyes squeezed shut; he gave himself away when he heard Chris move. "What is gonna happen if we don't win this?"

Chris tasted the words, contemplating them before dignifying an answer. For a moment he thought Piers was maybe sleep talking, spouting his worries into thin air of sleep. But that was short-lived when those brown eyes slowly revealed themselves under halflids. Chris slowly rose from the crouch he was in next to the lapping flames.

"So many lives are at stake.." He slowly answered. Choosing his words carefully. "Do.. Do you have a family waiting back for you at home?"

Chris watched Piers weakly shift in his spot, body looking stiff and confining. His ankle looked normal size, but the discoloration was still there. _Does it still hurt him? _

"..No.." Piers finally answered, words dry and easily flammable.

So, he was a soldier with nothing left to lose.. People often mistake that for strength.. But even recklessness got you nowhere.. Consider a mama bear fending for her cub.. The effect will be ten times fold the strength behind an attack, all to protect her baby. It begs the question to differ.. What's worse of an opponent?

A man with nothing to lose?

Or... A man with **everything **to lose..?

"What about you?" Piers' question turns the spotlight to Chris and at first he is uncomfortable. "Wife, kids..? Family?" The question is broken up in pieces.

"I have a sister.." Chris hears himself muse, staring into the flames pretending to find interest in the burning coals."Her name is Claire.."

"What, no wife?" Piers snorted, almost in disbelief and Chris is thrown off guard. He watched Piers, eyes meeting for the first time in a long time. Trying to make sense of the question. Without thinking, he voices his thoughts.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Piers ducked his head into the folds of his neck scarf, hiding his lips for a brief moment. Possibly embarrassed? But more plausibly for warmth. It was a chilly morning.

".. You're a very capable man.." He finally muttered with a shrug, and Chris decided to take it as a complement. "I just figured.."

Chris allowed to laugh it off, shaking his head as he returned his stare back to the flailing flames. All assorted colors of red and hissing with tender life.

"I don't have the time for relationships, if that is what you mean?" He folded his arms to confirm his statement, posture attempting to attain the confidence he had lost for a moment.

"I know what you mean.." Piers mumbled his words into the fabrics of his scarf. Chris anchored his stare back to the youth. He was so young. He shouldn't be caught up in this mess.. It was the only reason he had nothing left to lose. But Chris says nothing, jeering into the sudden awkwardness birthed by the conversation.

But the sound of gun fire rippled and saved Chris from further conversation. He'd never thought he'd be grateful for a J'avo onslaught. But he and several soldiers bolted up as if on que.

Chris watched Piers push himself up and frowned.

"You fall back.." Chris had placed a palm on the man's chest, attempting to ease him back down, but the youth was a lot harder to budge than it looked, he had to use a good amount of strength.

"Someone needs to keep an eye on you.." Piers mouthed but Chris shook his head as he reached for his gun next to the fire pit and slung it over his shoulder.

"Not this time, Piers.."

"Captain, bu-.." It was the look on Chris' face that must have done the trick.. For Piers closed his mouth once realizing that his actions were bordering insubordination.

"I'll be back.." Was all that was left to say as Chris walked backwards a few steps before turning on his heel and following the rest of his soldiers towards the opening of the wall where the commotion was fixated and centered.

The grounds were vengeful, and clustered with J'avo. Chris had squeezed a breath he realized he had been holding. He sprinted for cover. Around him his men were dropping like flies in the bustle of war. Chris found cover behind an overturned white van and crouched against it, nailing a few J'avo in the head along the way. Thousand times again, he could say he believed in God. But only in the frontline.. In frontline, everyone believed in God.. They always prayed... atheists, Christians and so on alike.. They could be all found praying to whatever God existed.. It was perhaps the mere fact that nobody wants to just die and fall into an oblivian. They wanted something to happen afterwards.. It made sense, though Chris had no general opinion on the matter.. The frontline was the only acception.. And god, was he praying.

He was reloading his rifle when he heard a twig snap, but before he could whip his head upwards he was thrown off his balance and back pressed against the rocky road. Chris' gun had been knocked out of his hands, clattering onto the ground it slid out of his reach. He felt something sharp sink into him.. Claws, it was his reflexes that kept the J'avo's teeth from going into his shoulder. With a shaken grunt, he fought for the monster to get off, but the claws were slicing into his shoulder blades and tearing away skin. For whatever reason, his mind traveled.. He was brought back to three weeks ago, back at the bar..

_"Dammit! Six months of searching for you... and this-" Piers had slapped the beer bottle off the table, obviously not caring that it clattered and rolled across the floor. "-Is what I find?!" _

_His words were enough to gore into Chris' core. For a while, he says nothing. Shame weighing him down. Sure, he felt like he knew the man.. From somewhere but it hurt.. Pained him to remember. His eyes dropped from the man's agitated face and focused on the patch sported on the man's upper arm.. _

_"BSAA..?" He spoke his thoughts without actually thinking twice about it.. Perhaps it was the drunken haze.. Piers' stare met his then. Stern, honey optics wavering with determination._

_"It's where you belong..~ Everyone's waiting.." He answered softly, as he spoke half of the bar members rose from their tables and approached them, Chris swept his gaze along each one of them. "We're taking you back, Captain.. One way or another..~"_

Chris couldn't coagulate why his thoughts brisked to that memory.. It wasn't his fondest of memories, but it was where he met Piers.. It was he who never quit.. Who never allowed Chris to give up... This brought strength into Chris' arms, he shoved the creature off of him, and rolled over his rifle, aiming it quickly at the creatures head. With a pull of a trigger, the staggering J'avo's head exploded from the bullet that spat out.

"Captain! They've breached the walls!" A soldier cried as Chris shoved himself from the ground. His first thought went to Piers.. Was he okay?! Automatically He darted behind the Soldier and they sprinted past the walls in an effort to clear the area, cleanse it of J'avo.

Chris' eyes searched for any signs of Piers then. He could feel the cold drip of his blood, oozing from his wounds, but he can't bother with that now..

"Captain.. You're-.." The soldier muttered softly, approaching him, but Chris shook his head in rejection. He had bigger shit to worry about.

"Where is Nivans?" Chris almost snapped, but he kept his character as cool as it would allow. The sound of an inhuman wail threw Chris' output elsewhere, but before he could reach his target, he spots another creature, this time throwing a figure across the entire area and crashing it into the tent. It was five seconds when Chris realized that it was Piers being shaken up, but the man was still fighting, thrashing, kicking the creature off of his form, despite the injury.

Chris had aimed his rifle and with dead accuracy, he pulled the trigger, blasting the J'avo in the head. The decapitated body slumped on Piers' weak frame and he doesn't push it off. Chris could see the trauma it had left in Piers' brown half lidded eyes. And when he got close enough, he had realized that the J'avo had been his own squad member.. Mutated and all.

"...He..." Piers draws out in some sort of trance as Chris pulled the body off of the man. "He was the one that patched me up.."

"Are you alright..?" Stupid question, but Piers didn't spout a smart ass comment about it like he usually does. He just pushes himself onto his elbows and allows Chris to help him up. "What happened?"

"...He was bit.." Chris could physically feel the disgruntled tone in Piers' voice, the man was quaked and shaken to the core. Chris steadied the man against him as he scanned the damage dealt. The J'avo were gone.. Dissolved into whatever cracks they came from. The wounded were being picked up, helped by the shaken. The damage wasn't threatening, or fatal..

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Chris found his attention returning to Piers. The man is still against him but his shaking was at a minimal. It was as if things were returning to Piers, with a sense of reluctance, he withdrew, peeling himself from the man.

"I'm fine.." It sounded as if he was trying to assure himself more than Chris. But Chris took that as a sign to back off.

But the mental damage has been dealt. And nothing could be done about that. As much as Chris wanted to take it away, it was abortive.

The desolation in Piers' brown eyes was enough to carve into Chris, at first he was silent, but then his words rose from his throat, without being able stop them.

"We're gunna win this, Piers.."

Piers looked hesitant for a moment, he suddenly found the ground more interesting. Chris followed his gaze momentarily, only lifting his stare when he heard Piers speak.

"I know, Captain.. I trust you.." Piers' words hitched with realization suddenly. "Captain.. You're bleeding.."

Awareness reached Chris when he scanned himself over, the deep gashes in his shoulder was oozing blood and puss from where the skin had split. Nothing too serious.. _Why is Piers so concerned? _

"I'm fine.. I'm not bit.. I'll be fine..~"

"Captain, just get over here..~" Piers had took Chris' arm before a word could be uttered, Piers guided the man towards the fire pit. Chris didn't oppose or protest, he complied and settled down onto the bench post.

People had a theory that death carried a scythe.. Chris would be the first one to tell you that all that is a sack of shit.. Death carried viruses, claws and putrid flesh.. Death carried J'avo..

Piers' hands quaked as his nimble fingers struggled to open the zipper on the first aid. Shell shock? Perhaps.. Made sense..

"Piers.." Chris started, his hand found Piers', enveloping them carefully. He couldn't really speculate why he did it, but it felt like the thing to do at the time.. Be it appropriate or not. It was obvious, Piers was not used to having his nerves rattled. For as long as Chris could recall [Which wasn't long.] Piers has always been so calm and collected.. But even water eroded and made the grand canyon.. Piers was no different.

"I'm fine.." He snapped softly, but there is regret in his tone in further. "Just..-" Chris allowed Piers to trail, to recollect his thoughts, he retracted his hand along with his previous statement. Piers deeply inhaled, holding it briefly, along with everything else before exhaling all his pent up stress. His focus returned on the task he attempted before. This time he was able to unzip the aid pouch and pull out some alcohol to clean the wound. He got the cloth provided damp.

"Take... Take off your shirt, Captain.." He wasn't used to giving orders, and it was obvious it was foreign to him. So the man humored him and peeled off his gear, sliding his shirt off with a soft wince. With the adrenaline gone he could focus on the throb in his wounds, pulsating with ache. He sucked in a breath as the air hit his bare, toned chest.

Piers gingerly pressed the wet cloth on the man's wound, dabbing away at the caked on blood. He couldn't help but stare... Marvel at each scar Chris wore, like badges.. Each bruise, each jagged marking held a story.. But like in brial or another language, Piers couldn't read; couldn't understand.

"How do you do it?" Chris finally asked. He recalled the mission with Ada.. Finn's death.. Piers had been so held together up until now.. But even then, Chris felt an entitlement to know.

"Do what?" For a brief moment, Piers' actions were stopped. Only to reach in for a needle and thread after sterilization.

"Up until now I don't think I've ever seen you break.." He watched Piers carefully thread the needle with that famous precision Piers was good for.

"Everyone has their breaking points.." He only answered, sliding the needle into the fold of Chris' wound, he wound the separations and tightened them together. Chris tensed, but made no movement or effort to complain.

"So, where is yours?" The question wasn't deliberate, but it did throw Piers out of whack, nearly missing a stitch. Lucky, he was more capable. He leaned forward to cut the cord with his teeth, without thinking, lips brushing against tense skin. He abruptly withdrew with a hitch and Chris was at a loss off words.

"I-..." Piers cleared his throat, acknowledging this could be more out of line so, he worked on the other wound, quickly sealing it shut, this time, he broke the thread with his shaken hands. Chris held a chuckle in his throat. Piers was so.. Childish.. It was the only label he could brand the young man with.. His heart then sank..

A child at war.. War was no place for a child..

* * *

**There ya' have it! Another fabulous chapter. Thanks for tolerating my lateness, hope you enjoyed it. [God I love this pairing.] Please review and give me feedback. It's much appreciated! Until next chapter you guys.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Piers is just a child.. A well composed child but you can't cover up the truth with fancy lies. Facts seem to crawl through the cracks and resonate every time. But over the last few days of serving with Piers, it was he who had been man enough to pull Chris from the darkness. He wasn't afraid to slap his captain if he got out of line either. It was Piers who opened his eyes, cleared the fog and forced Chris to take action and own up to his responsibility. When Chris lost his head after losing more men to Ada Wong, Piers shook him back into place and reminded him what was really important. Piers is just a child.. But he was more of a man than Chris ever dreamed of being.

Chris was the one that made so many mistakes, killed so many people, risked Piers' life time and time again.. It was his time to own for the mistakes.. So god dammit, why?! Why did Piers inject himself with that stupid virus?! He was taking the blame for Chris.. What was meant to be for Chris, not him..

"I'm sorry... Captain... I did it for the BSAA..." Was his excuse "For the future!"

That wasn't his call to make! How could an act so selfless be selfish at the same time? Chris needed Piers to be alive.. Piers was his friend, his partner.. But those thoughts clouded Chris, made him feel guilty as he was darting alongside the limping man.

The harsh thud that echoed the steel hallway tore Chris from his running and made him dart towards his fallen comrade.

"Piers..!" He crouched down next to the young man who lay shaken as if fighting.. Visibly fighting with himself. For control.

"Go!" The words were forced from his throat, bubbling with a growl. "Leave me.." It was Chris' turn to rebel.

"I don't fucking take orders.." He hauled Piers up by his mutated claw. The skin was wet, and slippery, but he was able to have the young man lean against him. "Not from you.."

He dragged the man towards the door of the hallway and kicked it open where the escape pods were located. His movements were in haste as he laid Piers down against the wall next to a pod.

"I'm not losing another soldier.." He was looking into Piers' eyes, trying to find any certainty in those honey glazed pools. He withdrew to attend the to panel key for the escape pod. Jabbing frantically at the codes whilst Piers' groans spurred him forward in the background. He pretended not to hear the pulsating flesh behind him.. Praying that Piers could just hold on.

When the door hissed open, he gave a silent cheer and turned to face Piers, holding out a hand to him.

"C'mon, Piers.." There was a sense of pride in his tone as Piers stared at the upturned palm. "We're getting out of here.."

Piers gave a slight nod, slapping his hand into Chris'. Chris could feel the appendage squeeze his tightly, pressing something into his palm. This perplexed him. But nevertheless, he hauled Piers towards the escape pod, only to be further shocked when he felt Piers jerk back, leaving behind the object in Chris' hand. Chris opened the hand and stared at the object Piers had gave him.. BSAA patch.. Piers'. immediately, Chris' blood froze to ice. Before Chris could get a confirmation, he was shoved into the escape pod by a strong hand.

After overcoming the wave of shock, he picked himself up.

"Piers?!" Was he thinking straight?

Chris wasn't givin' the luxury of thought as the door hissed closed before Chris could reach his comrade.

"PIERS!" He slammed a clenched fist onto the glass as the cracks sealed shut. "Piers, open the door!" A panic flooded the captain's voice, a panic he didn't bother filtering.

The look on Piers' face was anything but legible. It was clouded and drained of hope... Chris' heart clenched in the visual fist.

"Piers, don't do this!" Chris shouted through the glass, slamming his fist repeatedly against the glass. Of no avail. "Piers, we can still do this, there is time!"

But Piers was indifferent to Chris' frantic plea, staggering towards the lever, he froze, as if in contemplation. The building quaked, pieces of ceiling crumbling to the floor around him. It must've made up his mind, 'for he shoved the lever down and the escape pod rumbled.

"PIERS, OPEN THE DOOR! THAT'S AN ORDER!" Chris shouted. The very first order Piers disobeyed.. The pod busted out and Piers' figure grew smaller away, that look of.. pure shame plastered to his face.. or was that just Chris' imagination?

"PIIIIEEEEERRRRRSSSS!" Chris slammed his shoulder into the door, the repetition did nothing but cause the man to crumble onto the floor of the pod. He didn't even have time to mourn.. The pod gave a great shake, throwing Chris to the other side of the circular capsule. Tenticals shot towards the pod, attempting to grab as the large monstrous infected sprang through the explosion left behind. However it was a dispel of an electric shock that crippled the being, killing the horrific creature.

Piers..

_"Everyone has their breaking point.." _

Piers had said that.. Felt so long ago.. When in reality, it was only a week prior.. The words tasted fresh in his mouth.. Like alcohol.

The pod surfaced and the doors hissed open when the pressure was released. Chris was briefly blinded by the sunlight that leaked into the pod. He cautiously stepped out into the open, shielding his face with his arm.. Piers' patch still in a tight fist.

He carefully opened it and stared at the stitching, tracing them with the thumb of his glove.

_It should've been me... _Chris could only fiercely think.. But he can't bring himself to hate Piers.. He was noble.. Admirable..

The sound of chopper blades slicing the sky made Chris look to the clouds. A large black chopper labeled BSAA had hovered ahead and dropped a hanging ladder. And for a while, Chris does nothing, frozen. As if waiting for something, anything.

He finally convinces himself to climb and was greeted by a soldier, eager to help him up.

"C-Captain, you're alive?!" There was disbelief wrapped in his tone, and Chris doesn't blame him.. He can't believe it either. Though his chest swelled with pain after believing it. So, he said nothing. At least not until the soldier leaned forward, looking over Chris' shoulder, as if trying to piece something together.

"C..Captain?" The question in the soldier's words were enough to turn Chris' attention to the waters.. Sure enough, he catches something floating in the surface.. Bobbing. Chris' heart climbed up his throat as he leaned forward, gripping onto the bar implanted into the side of the chopper.

"Take us down closer..~"

Chris did not wait for the chopper to dip close, he dove into the icey water. Ignoring the shooting pain that welled in his limbs. He kicked himself to remain afloat. The body was just an arms stretch away..

Piers..

Chris opened his mouth to yell for his name, but water cycled into his mouth, he coughed on it as he latched onto Pier's frame.

"I-I got you..." Piers' body felt lifeless, and cold. The infected limb was slimy and could easily be compared to moss. It was hard to grip, but for the life of him, Chris held on.

* * *

"We've treated him with the cure S. Kennedy had provided.. but.." The nurse spoke softly with her head bowed. Chris held onto a shaken breath, grasp on the handle of the chair had tightened. Leon and Helena had kept their respected distance. 'But' was never a good sign. "We had to remove the contamination.. His right eye and right arm is.. Gone.."

It felt as though Chris had slipped out of earshot. He could see the nurse talk.. See her lips twitching as she spoke.. But no words.. The drumming of his heartbeat was the only thing that marched in his ears. He'd be missing two important things a Soldier needed.. Some part of him was relieved.. But.. How would Piers cope? It was Leon's strong voice that drug Chris from his mental state.

"How is his condition?"

There was a sense of mortification, when Chris ducked his head; he should've been the first to ask that question. Piers was his partner.

"It seems he'll make a recovery.. Captain Redfield got him here just in time.. The virus didn't take much.. It did deplete his energy, so he'll need some looking after.."

"He's my responsibility.." Chris was the first to step up to the plate. He already had Piers' kitten- Smokie.. Since Piers really had no family to look after him, Chris allowed Clair to house sit his apartment and watch over Smokie. He'd watch over Piers and Smokie until the man was fit to care for himself.

"Fair enough.. I'll need you to sign some papers.. Wait right here..~" She looked Chris over before following the long stretch of white hallway.. Clicking heels fading behind her.

The after silence drawled like a curtain fabricated by beeping of hospital machines and whimpering patients, it was unsettling.. Doctors paced from room to room, with the outbreak's after effects they were indeed busy. But that indirect silence was almost thick.. Chris was close to grateful that Helena broke it.

"You're doing the right thing.." Her words were comfort to Chris, he had only hope to cling to. Hope and those words Leon was quick to agree:

"With Chris, that comes natural.." There was that almost smile shadowed in Leon's lips. It was a rarity few indulged in. "I know Nivans will be safe in his hands..~"

All these praises.. Were they being properly placed? He did save Piers granted.. But would Piers concur with this? Would he prefer life without the use of one arm or an eye?

* * *

Gut wrenching screams and agony dripped bellows pull Piers down. The ground is wet, slippery and mucky. several times, Piers stumbled in the wetness of the mud. It caked over his clothes and weighed him down, but with rifle in hand, he trails behind his Captain in good pace. That is, until something rolled within the bowels of the ground, capturing one of his comrades by the ankle and sticking him with something that could resemble the tenticals of a squid.

The sight is horrid, and Piers staggered forward, Chris was there to catch his arm. The slimy arms splited the man's face wide open, blood and cartilage spew as the sound of snapping skin bore into Piers and just like that, his comrade falls to the ground.

Something shakes Piers though, dragging him from the haze, pulling him from this hellish nightmare and his vision bleeds to a bright white.

He heard himself screaming as he was pulled against something warm, and tense. It was breathing against his nose and lips and he could focus on the beeping in the distance.. A machine of some sort.. His earshot fixated on a conversation displayed before him.

"Chris, you shouldn't move him! It could make his injuries worse.." A woman's voice was hastily scolding. A snort retorts her in the most poisonous manners.

"And let him suffer to shellshock?! Look, lady.. I know what I'm doing!" Piers recognized the voice and warmed to the embrace of his Captain. It was an unusual feeling.. Being held as he attempted to understand and evaluate his situation..

It then occured to him..

He should be dead.. Gone.. He risked his life so that Chris could live.. He owed it to the man.. He owed Chris his life!

But here he was in his Captain's strong hold. He wasn't made of glass, but he was shaken.. This wasn't like him but it was almost as if his body had taxed him.. As if it suffered a tremendous loss.. His horrors were confirmed, when he attempted to shift his right arm over his captain.. He moved but felt nothing..

"Ca-... Capta-.." He rasped, but Chris was quick to hush him..

"Piers.. It's okay.. don't move around so much.."

"M-... My arm!.. I can't feel my ar-.." The male thrashed, when the realization slammed into him, his raspy voice hitched. He couldn't see out of his right eye either. A panic choked him. "Captain!"

"Piers! Calm down...~!" Chris' voice rose, but never faltered in comfort. The arms wound so tightly around Piers, he could feel the warmth that bled from Chris' body. The young man was coaxed by this.. Going limp against the man's chest. "You'll be fine.. I promise.."

The whispers were cool water to Piers' dry throat. He found himself drinking them slowly in. When he recollected himself, Chris withdrew, making only a small gap between them.

"How bad is it..?" Piers' whisper was dry in his lungs, the feeling of swallowing hot ash was there.

Chris' eyes were running across the male and at that moment, for the first time in his life, Piers was self conscious.. And wishing he never asked the question. But Chris placed a warm, calloused hand onto the curve of Piers' cheek and the electricity is there.. Stunning Piers, as if it belonged.

"Captain..?" The alarm was clear in Piers' voice but the man was indifferent, easily retort.

"You look fine.." And before Piers could retort, Chris' lips were on his.. Pressing warmth down his whole body. He trembled in response. It had been.. Years since he had last felt that intimacy.. It left him with chills.

The act of almost losing Piers had sent his whole feelings out of wack, he didn't know how to react.. How to express what he felt.. Being with Piers, just being around him made him feel.. Wanted..

And little did Piers know, He had saved Chris multiple times..

More than Chris could even count.

~end

* * *

**Well I didn't expect that to be fluffy ending, but thar you have it. c: I realized I have trouble ending fanfictions. x.x I'll have to work on that.**


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